At Christmas-Time

The tradition of Christmas dates back further than the birth of Christ. Before the pagan rituals that celebrated the winter solstice, the ancient shamans, dressed in a red gown, rejoiced as the entire community came together at the coldest time of the year...

The shamanic origins of Christmas begin with the indigenous people of Siberia that herded Reindeers. Their ancestors still continue this tradition, although the Sixth Mass Extinction threatens their natural habitat. Although some shamanic cultures ultimately became Pagan, other cultures were more geographically isolated, which inadvertently shielded them numerous socio-political changes that remodelled the ancient belief structures of specific nations.  

Meaning of the Term

The phrase "at Christmas-Time" is more frequently used to hint toward the 24-25th of December, yet there is a deeper meaning... The term "Christmas" developed over time. In Old English, "Christmas" was spelt and written in two seperate words: "Christ-Mæsse", meaning "Mass of Christ". It referred to the Roman-Catholic Church service that we nowadays just call 'mass'. However, in those times, mass was interpreted differently... During the coldest time of the year, many losses were felt in the community as a result of the increased exposure to the elements. At any time throughout history, church service was commonly associated with birth and death. A time, when we experience a loss of control, which leads us to search for meaning, and perhaps a deeper purpose.

Historically, Roman-Catholic mass honours the death of its saviour, Jesus Christ, which wiped the slate for humanity. All sins were forgiven. Mankind was saved from natural destruction. Yet, by continuously focusing on the crucifixion of Christ, the tradition of Christian mass has become a sacrificial death-ritual, in which the subject of worship dies over again over again...

That which we fail to realise about these doctrines is, both, birth and death occur simultaneously at every minute of every hour. With every second, we die and with every second, we are reborn.

"In a relativistic existence, birth and death are not merely a matter of cause and effect, they are manifestations of that which existed prior to relativity. For the point that we're trying to make, even duality. The human mind perceives the passage of time as a sequence of moments, but only because our consciousness interprets it in this manner. For instance, without space-time,  the practitioner, the subject and the act of worship would become one. There would be no boundaries between them. The past, present and future of them would become more than simultaneous. One couldn't discern where one ends and the other begins, nor would one desire to."

As you know, Christmas in itself has many different names as well as long-forgotten origins that are all derived from ancient religious and/or spiritual customs...of which countless made their way into theoretical/applied science. However, In their bare essence, they all share aspects of prayer, celebration, liturgy and veneration.

Christmas Several Times Per Day

If you are Pagan, every moment of every day is yuletide.

If you are Christian, every second is Christmas

If you are Jewish, every moment is Chanukah.

If you are Hindu, every breath is Dwali.

If you are an Atheist, every passing minute is an opportunity to celebrate the present.

There was an age, when Christmastime was several times each day. Every time, the Roman Catholic Church held a service. Every time, a disciple of the faith knelt in solemn prayer...it was Christmastime. Yet, this interpretation has faded into the background, as it is not commercially-viable to sell Christmas all year round under the guise of a spiritual theme, which inadvertently implies corporations would be required to share their profits with organised religious institutions.

It's a celebration in itself, when we seize the opportunity to express our gratitude for life, the universe and everything, when we take the chance to perform a selfless act of kindness without expecting anything in return or when we dedicate ourselves to something greater than ourselves. We don't need Churches, Temples or Mosques to practice such a faith, as we carry it with us everywhere we go... However, when we practice religion in this fashion, our beliefs become us. If God is Love or Peace, then so are we. If God is Wrath, then so are we. We become one with our interpretation of what which we worship by concentrating our energies through our perception...but in so doing, we often forget that the Spirit of an object or subject is intangible and unknowable by default. We attempt to understand that which cannot be understood, for it is understanding.

With every breath, the spirit of the seasons comes and goes, in the form of the all-pervading Universal Spirit. That is the essence of Christmas. It is a Oneness that permeates all, which cannot be described in words, it can only be felt with the heart...and not only once a year, but all year round...